Items written by Shea Rhodes
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Judge Refuses to Dismiss Visa as a Defendant in Suit Against Pornhub for Child Pornography
Date: September 8, 2022
On July 29, 2022, a United States District Court Judge, for the Central District of California, refused to dismiss Visa as a defendant in a lawsuit against Pornhub, Pornhub’s parent company Mindgeek USA, and Visa for allegedly violating Federal Sex … Read more about Judge Refuses to Dismiss Visa as a Defendant in Suit Against Pornhub for Child Pornography »
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Seven Individuals Charged in Relation to Sexual Exploitation of Child
Date: August 29, 2022
On July 21, 2022, Christina Randall, 47, was arrested following an eight-month investigation into the alleged sexual exploitation of her 13-year-old daughter. The victim’s father, Tyquann Brown, 44, was also arrested for endangering the welfare of children. According to media … Read more about Seven Individuals Charged in Relation to Sexual Exploitation of Child »
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Victim of Sex Trafficking at Springdale Motel Awarded $25.4 Million
Date: August 12, 2022
On July 31, 2022, Judge Doug Schrantz in Benton County, Arkansas, ruled that OM Hospitality, Inc., the owner of the Economy Inn, was liable for damages after a victim of commercial sexual exploitation was held hostage at the hotel for … Read more about Victim of Sex Trafficking at Springdale Motel Awarded $25.4 Million »
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Philadelphia Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking a Minor on Backpage.com
Date: August 8, 2022
On June 17, 2022, Rodney Kent, 50, was convicted of sex trafficking a minor by a jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In September of 2018, Kent was charged by a grand jury for trafficking a minor via force, … Read more about Philadelphia Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking a Minor on Backpage.com »
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Two Individuals Charged with Sex Trafficking in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas
Date: August 8, 2022
On May 24, 2022, Philip Walker, 36, of Pittsburgh, and Anjali Lindsey, 22, of Kensington, Maryland, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to sex trafficking. According to the indictment, from around November 2019 through April 2022, … Read more about Two Individuals Charged with Sex Trafficking in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas »
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Two Stroudsburg Residents Charged in an Undercover Prostitution Sting
Date: August 1, 2022
On May 23, 2022, Jessica Bauer, 43, and Eric Scelza, 47, were charged in an undercover prostitution sting in Stroudsburg, PA. According to media reports, the sting was designed to catch Bauer, who posted advertisements selling sex. She also had … Read more about Two Stroudsburg Residents Charged in an Undercover Prostitution Sting »
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Misinformation Going Viral: Myths and Misconceptions about Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation on TikTok
Date: July 29, 2022
In the age of social media, there is often rampant sharing, posting, and reposting of online content. Specifically, human trafficking and sexual exploitation are often misunderstood issues that are propagated and sensationalized, especially across social media platforms such as TikTok … Read more about Misinformation Going Viral: Myths and Misconceptions about Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation on TikTok »
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Sir Mo Farah, British Olympic Long Distance Track Star, Reveals He was Labor Trafficked as a Child
Date: July 22, 2022
In a BBC One documentary entitled “The Real Mo Farah,” Sir Mo Farah, one of the UK’s long-distance track stars, revealed he was brought to the United Kingdom as a child and was then exploited for his labor. Farah was … Read more about Sir Mo Farah, British Olympic Long Distance Track Star, Reveals He was Labor Trafficked as a Child »
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Eight Arrested in Oklahoma in Connection with Texas Teen Trafficked from a Mavericks Game
Date: July 19, 2022
In mid-May 2022, Kenneth Nelson, Sarah Hayes, Karen Gonzales, Saniya Alexander, Melissa Wheeler, Chevaun Gibson, Thalia Gibson, and Steven Hill, were arrested in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. These individuals were arrested in conjunction with the investigation into a fifteen-year-old trafficking victim … Read more about Eight Arrested in Oklahoma in Connection with Texas Teen Trafficked from a Mavericks Game »
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Truck Driver Found Guilty of Sex Trafficking a Minor and Production of Child Sex Abuse Materials
Date: July 19, 2022
On July 11, 2022, a federal jury found Roderick King, 32, guilty of one count of sex trafficking a minor and two counts of production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The jury deliberated for just over … Read more about Truck Driver Found Guilty of Sex Trafficking a Minor and Production of Child Sex Abuse Materials »